Apparatus for coating printing forms for photogravure and the like



Jan. 7, 1964 R. KAULEN 3,117,023

APPARATUS FOR COATING PRINTING FORMS FOR PHOTOGRAVURE AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 2, 1960 INVENTOR Robert Kaulen Jan. 7, 1964 R. KAULEN 3,117,028

APPARATUS FOR COATING PRINTING FORMS FOR PHOTOGRAVURE AND THE LIKE Fil e d Dec. 2, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Robert KauJen ATTYS.

United States Patent 3,117,t)28 APrARATU FER QUATKNG lRlN'llNG MERE/i3 FER PHQTQGRAVJRE AND THE LKKE Robert Kaulen, Lovenich, Eezirlr Cologne, Germany,

assiguor to Dr. Bald; Kaulcn Qhemische lFabzlk Gmblih, Lovenich, Cologne, Germany, a firm Filed Bee. 2, 196b, Ser. No. 87,476 Claims priority, application Germany Dec. ill, 1%? 2 Claims. (Cl. 1l"--ilM-) This invention relates to apparatus for coating printing forms, more especially printing cylinders, with a lightsensitive solution, such as a colloid solution, for photogravure and the like.

Apparatus is known for coating a printing cylinder widr a light-sensitive solution which operates in such a way that the printing cylinder is drawn vertically from a container filled with the solution. With such apparatus the container is formed as a hollow cylinder, the base of the container being formed as a piston, and connected to the printing cylinder. Withdrawal of the printing cylinder from the container of solution is effected gently and without vibration, so that the coating is carried out in a completely uniform manner. The container is therefore arranged centrally between two guide spindles. The printing cylinders must be drawn out of the solution slowly, which takes time.

The invention is characterized in that the part which carries the printing form and is vertically movable is equipped for receiving at least two printin forms, and in its uppermost position can be swivelled bodily, at least to an extent equal to the diameter of the container. 'i'he carrier part preferably engages a guide just below the swivelling position wherein the printing forms lie coaxial with the containers. The arrangement according to the invention not only permits simultaneous coating of a plurality of printing forms, during which operation the forms are subject to reliable and centered guidance into the containers and the slow and vibration-free withdrawal therefrom, but it also permits the printing forms to be brought, for the purpose of setting them down and changthem, from the position where they are Withdrawn from the containers into a position beside the containers. With this arrangement it is possible to carry out the upward and downward movements rapidly when the forms are in the positions out of alignment with the containers.

The containers are preferably arranged stationary on a bme plate, while the form carrier is ca able of swivelling. However, it is alternatively possible to arrange he carrier to be non-rotatable, and the base plate with the containers to be rotatable relative to the carrier. The end positions of the path of swivelling motion of the carrier or of the plate are suitably defined by engagement with stops.

Rods may conveniently be used as guides for the verticslly movable carrier when the latter is in the position wherein the printing forms are arranged coardal with the containers and sleeves connected to the carrier may engage over said rods. The guide rods are shorter than the length of upward travel of the carrier, so that the latter in its uppermost position becomes free of the guides and can be turned into the outwardly-swivelled position. A hydraulically actuated carrier may be constructed, with advantage, as a column which can be raised or lowered by hydraulic means.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended clairns and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

PEG. 1 shows in perspective coating apparatus according to the invention;

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F16. 2 is a plan View of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line III-HI of FlG. 2;

PEG. 4 snows a longitudinal section through the apparatus or" PEG. 1 in the plane passing through the container; and

FIG. 5 shows a detail of construction of the container at its upper part.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the coating apparatus according to the invention has a base plate ll whereon containers 2 and 3 adapted to receive a coating solution are disposed. A piston 6 acts as a supporting member carrying the printing forms which are illustrated as printing cylinders l and 5', said piston being adapted to move up and down in a cylinder 7. On the piston 6 is arranged a plate 8 having arms 9 and iii, formed as overhanging arms, at the ends of which the printing cylinders and 5 can be suspended. The printing cylinders 4 and 5 are themselves each fixed on a spindle, the spindles being desic'nated as 11 and 12, respectively. T he spindles ill and 112 have flanges l3 and ltd, respectivel with which they are lined to the overhanging ar-rns 9 and llll. In lieu of the flanges l3, 14', each of the spindles ll, 12 may be provided with a screwthreaded portion for engaging the arms 9, ill. At the lower ends of each printing cylinder 4 and 5 are respectively located base pieces 15 and 16- lorrned as pistons and adapted to be introduced, with the printing cylinders l, 5', into the associated container 2, 3 and at the same time to center the printing cylinder from below.

The plate 8 is provided with further arms 17 and 18 carrying depending guide sleeves l9 and M9. These guide sleeves 19 and 2 engage guide rods 21 and 2 2 fixed securely to th cylinder '7. The guide rods 21, 22 are of suitable len th to ensure that the piston 6 is guided non-rotatably so long as the printing cylinders 4, 5 extend into the containers 2 and 3. However, in the uppermost position of piston 6 the guide sleeves l9 and 2% become free of the guide rods 21 and 22, so that the piston 6, together with the supporting plate 8 and the printing cylinders t, 5, can be turned and swivelled sufiiciently far for the printing forms 4 and 5 to be lowered beside the containers 2, and 3. This position is shown in FIG. 2 by dotted line circles 24. For lowering and raising the piston 6 to this position, the latter need not be equipped with guides corresponding to the guide rods 21 and 22.

Displacement of piston a may conveniently be effected by hydraulic means. In the upper part of the cylinder 7 the piston 6 is guided and tightly sealed by a guide bush- 25 (FIG. 4). A hydraulic liquid, for example oil, is driven by means of a pump 26 into the annular space between the piston 6 and the cylinder 7. The inner space 2? or" the base plate 11 may act as a collecting chamber for the oil. Within the piston 6- a connection pipe 23 extending from the peripheral surface to the end surface say be provided, and in this way the pressure medium for raising the piston 6 acts on the end surface of the latter.

The container 2 may be provided at its upper edge with an overflow channel 29 (MG. 5) for the coating liquid, which may be fed thereto through a pipe Elli. Furthermore, filtered air may be blown, above the level of the coating solution formed by the overflow, against the printing form. For this purpose an air infeed pipe 31 may be provided, to which is connected an annular space 32 and nozzles 3-3 provided above the level of the coating solution, so that the filtered air, as indicated by arrows, is blown against the printing form.

The coating of the printing form is carried out as follows:

First the piston 6 is in the lowered position, wherein arms 9 and 10 extend in the direction of the dotted line circles 24. The printing forms are connected to the arms 9 and it} by being hung thereon, the piston then being raised by hydraulic means until it has reached its uppermost position. In this position the piston, together with the carrier plate '8, is so swi-velled around that the printing forms 4 and take up positions over and concentric with the containers 2 and 3, Where the guide sleeves 19 and 2% can engage the guide rods 21 and .22.. The piston with the printing forms 4 and 5 is then lowered. The printing forms then engage the containers and 3, the coating solution being at the same time fed into the annular space of the container by way of the overflow 29. After the printing forms are completely dipped in the coating solution, the for-ms are slowly withdrawn from the containers, the piston being guided by the guide rods 21 and 22. When the highest position has been reached, the piston can again be swivelled around, so that the printing forms 4 and S can be lowered to the points 24 and then changed after completion of this lowering operation.

The apparatus according to the invention is shown equipped for two containers for coating two printing forms. More than two containers may be provided. This depends on the diametric distance of the containers relative to one another. Raising or lowering of the pis ton 6 may alternatively be carried out by mechanical means.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provision has been made for carrying out the desired end. However, attention is again directed to the fact that variations may be made in the example apparatus disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for coating printing for-ms such as printing cylinders with a solution for photogravure and like printing comprising a base, at least one upright cylin drical fluid-tight container seated on said base and having an open upper end for receiving a printing form, means carried by the upper end of said container for evenly applying a coating of the solution on the peripheral surface of the printing form as it is lowered into the container, a base piece carried by said printing form to engage said cylindrical container and center said printing form in said container, a cylinder rising centrally from said base and anchored thereto, a piston Working in the cylinder and having a flat plate at its upper end, fluid pressure means operating said piston for vertically extending the flat plate for the support of printing forms at the upper end of said piston, said fiat plate and said base being connected together for rotation relative to each other whereby a printing form carried by said plate may be rcely rotated to a position out of alignment with said container and cooperating means connected to said cylinder and said plate respectively for preventing relative rotation between said base and said plate as the printing form is being moved into and out of said container com prising at least one guide sleeve depending from said plate and one guide rod secured to and extending upwardly from said cylinder with said sleeve being disengaged from the guide rod when said plate is in its uppermost position, and said printing form is Wholly removed from said container to permit rotation of the plate relative to the base.

2. Apparatus for coating printing cylinders with a solution comprising a base, a plurality of upright cylindrical fluid-tight containers seated on said base in circumferentially spaced relation and having open upper ends for receiving printing forms, means carried at the upper end of each container for applying the solution to the printing forms as they are lowered into said containers, 2 base piece carried by each of said printing forms to engage the respective cylindrical containers and center the said printing forms in said contm'ners, a cylinder rising centraily from said base and anchored thereto, a piston in said central cylinder, fluid pressure means operating said piston for vertical movement and a horizontal plate at the upper end of said piston, said plate including arms for supporting the printing cylinders and coacting guide rods and guide sleeves on the cylinder and plate respectively to prevent rotation of the piston when the printing forms are in the containers and adapted to be transversely shifted when the piston is at its limit of upward movement for displacement of the printing for-ms relative to the containers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,425,660 Joseph ct a1. Aug. 15, 1922 1,644,384 Kendall Oct. 4, 1927 2 ,172,394 Lippincott et a1 Sept. 12, 1939 2,679,824 Schrnuldt June -1, 1954 2,808,022 Kaulen et al. Oct. 1, 1957 2,808,344 Kaulen et al. Oct. 1, 1957 2,869,509 Woods Jan. 20, 1959 2,979,063 Hilton Apr. 11, 1961 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR COATING PRINTING FORMS SUCH AS PRINTING CYCLINDERS WITH A SOLUTION FOR PHOTOGRAVURE AND LIKE PRINTING COMPRISING A BASE, AT LEAST ONE UPRIGHT CYLINDRICAL FLUID-TIGHT CONTAINER SEATED ON SAID BASE AND HAVING AN OPEN UPPER END FOR RECEIVING A PRINTING FORM, MEANS CARRIED BY THE UPPER END OF SAID CONTAINER FOR EVENLY APPLYING A COATING OF THE SOLUTION ON THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF THE PRINTING FORM AS IT IS LOWERED INTO THE CONTAINER, A BASE PIECE CARRIED BY SAID PRINTING FORM TO ENGAGE SAID CYLINDRICAL CONTAINER AND CENTER SAID PRINTING FORM IN SAID CONTAINER, A CYLINDER RISING CENTRALLY FROM SAID BASE AND ANCHORED THERETO, A PISTON WORKING IN THE CYLINDER AND HAVING A FLAT PLATE AT ITS UPPER END, FLUID PRESSURE MEANS OPERATING SAID PISTON FOR VERTICALLY EXTENDING THE FLAT PLATE FOR THE SUPPORT OF PRITING FORMS AT THE UPPER END OF SAID PISTON, SAID FLAT PLATE AND SAID BASE BEING CONNECTED TOGETHER FOR ROTATION RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER WHEREBY A PRINTING FORM CARRIED BY SAID PLATE MAY BE FREELY ROTATED TO A POSITION OUT OF ALIGNMENT WITH SAID CONTAINER AND COOPERATING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CYLINDER AND SAID PLATE RESECTIVELY FOR PREVENTING RELATIVE ROTATION BETWEEN SAID BASE AND SAID PLATE AS THE PRINTING FORM IS BEING MOVED INTO AND OUT OF SAID CONTAINER COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE GUIDE SLEEVE DEPENDING FROM SAID PLATE AND ONE GUIDE ROD SECURED TO AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID CYLINDER WITH SAID SLEEVE BEING DISENGAGED FROM THE GUIDE ROD WHEN SAID PLATE IS IN ITS UPPERMOST POSITION, AND SAID PRINTING FORM IS WHOLLY REMOVED FROM SAID CONTAINER TO PERMIT ROTATION OF THE PLATE RELATIVE TO THE BASE. 